Vacuum-actuated ash tray for vehicles



v- 1952 R. L. GILL ET AL VACUUM-ACTUATED ASH TRAY FOR VEHICLES 2SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1949 INVENTOR.

T A nk i O E V. B

N v- 4, 1952 R. L. GILL ET AL VACUUM-ACTUATED ASH TRAY FOR VEHICLESFiled Nov. 25, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTORS Rob'eri L. Gill and BYFrank A. Nash Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES .ENT OFFICEVACUUM-AGTUATED ASH TRAY FOR VEHICLES Application November 25, 1949,Serial No. 129,442

(Cl. Zoe-49.5)

Claims. 1

Our invention relates generally to dumpingtype ash trays, andspecifically to ash trays for use in vehicles and particularly inautomobiles. In connection with the latter use, it is a commonoccurrence to have ash trays filled with cigarette stubs and debris and,because of their limited capacity, they offer a problem of disposal.This is particularly true if an automobile is being driven along ahighway and any of the cigarette butts are still burning. Otherdisagreeable factors involved in ash trays as presently constructed arethat they frequently give off an ofiensive odor which permeates theinterior of a vehicle. Also if a driver wishes to use them it isdiilicult to dump ashes or cigarettes therein without taking his eyesfrom the road. It is difficult to extinguish a lighted cigarettetherein, and the closure devices therefor are seldom airtight to cut offthe supply of oxygen to the interior and to extinguish the burning ofpartially extinguished cigarette butts.

One of the principal objects of our invention is to provide a handy ashtray which may be secured to the instrument panel of an automobile,which ash tray is of small compass but adequate to receive and hold apartially burned cigarette, and a refuse container which may be arrangedsome distance therefrom. Said refuse container is evacuated, that ismaintained at subatmospheric pressures, and the ash tray is providedwith a valve mechanism. Said valve mechanism can be actuated and thecigarette stub, ashes and other refuse willbe drawn into the receiverand the burning thereof will be inhibited or quenched.

A further and more specific object of. our invention is to provide anash tray of this character which need only be partially actuated and theflow of air moving therethrough from an evacuated refuse container willcause it to move into fully discharged position to have the contentsremoved therefrom and will return to its initial or filling position bya spring.

A further and more specific object of our invention is to provide arefuse container in connection with said ash tray which will havesufficient capacity to maintain the operation of said associated deviceswithout undue fluctuation, will separate the solids from the air, willcollect the solids at the bottom thereof, and be joined to the intakemanifold of an internal combustion engine, 7

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an ash tray, a refuse container, and acontainer for maintaining a supply of air under subatmosphericpressures, said parts being connected by conduits;

Fig. 2 is a detail view with portions shown broken away, illustratingthe details of said refuse collecting container;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an ash tray embodying our invention, withportions shown broken away to disclose details of the mountin therefor;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of said ash tray and its mounting and dischargeconduit, illustrating the manner in which said ash tray may be mountedupon the bottom of an instrument panel of a vehicle, said panel beingshown in section;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the structures illustrated in Fig. l, butshown rotated and with portions of the housing shown broken away todisclose the ball-check valve for controlling the flow of air from theash tray to the discharge conduit therefrom; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-6 in both Figs. 4 and 5,but with the portions arranged as they are illustrated in Fig. 4, saidsection showing structural details of the rotatable receiver and thehousing of said ash tray.

An ash tray embodying our invention comprises a bell-shaped housing I,having one open side la and a cup-shaped receiver 2 having one open side2a. Ihe receiver is journaled in the housing and the open sides of saidparts oppose each other so that they define within them a chamber 3. Thereceiver is carried upon an axial shaft G and is spring-loaded by atorque spring 5. One end of said spring 5a lies Within the bifurcatedend L a of the shaft, and the other end 51) of said spring extendslaterally from the shaft and engages the exterior of a conduit ii,through which ashes are discharged from said housing. Said conduitpreferably forms an integral part of said housing and enters through theclosed side ib thereof. Said housing is provided with a funnelshapedaperture '5' extending substantially its entire length, as is shown inFig. 5, and serves as an aperture into which and through which ashes andcigarette butts may be inserted into said housing.

The receiver 2 is not a complete circle, as is shown in Fig. 6, but isprovided with a wall extending over of a circle; that is to say, itextends within the bore of the housing over halfway around it, and thushas good journal bearing therein. A pocket ii is formed therein and thispocket is in registry with the funnel-shaped aperture I when the partsare arranged in filling position. Said parts are resiliently held inregistry by the action of the torque spring 5, holding one wall of saidpocket against a radial wall 9 forming a part of the housing. Saidradial wall extends to and has rubbing contact with a central hub Iii insaid receiver and, with a cylindrical ball-receiving well I I, forms aneffective partition substantially diametrically of the ash tray when theparts are arranged as is shown in Fig. 6. Said well carries a checkvalve l2 and encloses a valve spring l3.

Said check valve seats upon the bore 6a of the conduit 6 when the partsare arranged as is shown in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, when in fillingposition. When the receiver rotates into discharging position, theradial wall 9 serves as abutment for the end Ma of the skirt l4 andlimits rotation due to said abutment. This brings the pocket 8 intocommunication with the bore of the conduit 8 so that the contents ofsaid pocket may be discharged through said conduit, as will hereinafterbe described. As it is shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, said pocketis arranged uppermost in the ash tray and extends through the closedside 22) of the receiver 2. This permits the ash tray to accommodate acigarette stub longer than the overall length of said ash tray; that isto say, as long as the major portion of a cigarette stub lies in saidpocket so that it will not become overbalanced, it will be retained insaid pocket. When the receiver rotates into discharge position, saidcigarette stub will be moved endwise through the pocket and into thebore of the conduit. Finger grips [5 are provided on the exterior faceof the closed side of the receiver so that said receiver may be turnedmanually without great difficulty to initiate the discharging thereof.

Said ash tray is preferably carried by a clamp it, having a thumb screwH511 to engage the lower edge of an instrument panel ll of anautomobile. Preferably arranged within the engine compartment, that isbeneath the hood of an automobile, is a refuse container [8 which mayresemble a small jar, such, for example, as a pint jar. A cap I9 isscrew-fitted thereon. Said cap is formed somewhat like a cycloneseparator with an axial, pendent tube 20 defining the discharge fromsaid container and having an encircling volute 2| as the intake for saidcontainer. J oining the conduit 6 with an intake tube Zia on said voluteis a section of rubber hose 22, secured to said conduit 6 and saidintake tube by the usual clamps 22a. The connection between the conduitand the refuse container is capable of many variations, but a rubbertube and clamps are simple and flexible. Air flowing into said refusecontainer carrying ashes and cigarette butts flows circumferentiallywithin the walls of the container and drops to the bottom thereof. Airflowing therefrom through the pendent tube 20 thus is separated from theincoming air, but, in the abundance of caution, we preferably provide ascreen 23 within the bore of said tube to prevent solids from flowingoutwardly into a tank 24, in which a larger supply of air undersubatmospheric pressures is maintained. If a refuse container ofsubstantial volume is provided, it is not necessary to have theadditional tank. It is common, however, to have said auxiliary tanks inconnection with other evacuated apparatus in an automobile, and thus weillustrate this arrangement. Said tank is joined to the container by asection of hose 25 having clamps 25a, and said tank is joined to theintake manifold of an engine (not shown) by tubing 26. To maintainproper subatmospheric pressures within the container l8, we preferablyprovide a check valve 2'! at the upper end of the pendent tube 25, saidcheck valve being seated by a coil spring 270.. This permits air to flowfrom the container to the tank, but inhibits reverse flow.

The operation of our improved ash tray is as follows:

Attention is directed to the fact that the pocket, when in fillingposition, presents a smooth internal surface as is shown in Fig. 6, andthere is a relatively close fit between the end wall 8a of said pocketand the housing. Said end wall serves not only as a scoop for movingashes and cigarette butts along through the ash tray, but also serves asan operating vane, against which atmospheric air reacts to rotate thereceiver clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 6, when the check valve isunseated. When ashes and a cigarette butt, for example, are placed inthe pocket passing through the funnel-shaped aperture 1, it is necessaryonly to rotate said receiver clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 6, afew degrees. This will cause the receiver to rotate and rock the checkvalve i2 off its seat over the bore of the conduit 6, and air atatmospheric pressure will press against the outer face of the pocketwall 8a and continue the rotation of said receiver until said pocketmoves into registration with and communicates with the bore of theconduit. The continued flow of air will cause the ashes and cigarettebutt to be discharged through the bore of said conduit and into thereceiver. Air flows from the funnel-shaped aperture 1 about theperiphery of the receiver and into the bore of said conduit Ea, becausethe parts are not provided with a tight fit between the peripheralsurface of the receiver and the bore of the housing. The flow of airabout the receiver and into the bore of the conduit is of sufficientstrength to overcome the rotative effects of the torque spring 5. Whenthe air pressures tend to come more or less into balance, that is whenthe subatmospheric pressures within the container are more or lessdissipated, the spring will return the receiver to its original positionand the ball-check valve i2 will seat and the interior of the refusecontainer will then be reduced in pressure, due to the action of thetank or the intake manifold of the engine.

In practice, this series of actions occurs rather quickly. The receiveris rotated 5 or 10 and the flow of air carries the receiver from thatposition to discharge position, and it is returned by the spring in thematter of only several seconds. It is not essential, therefore, for adriver to look down to grip the end of the receiver carefully. It isnecessary only to initiate said rotation and the remainder is whollyautomatic. Because the pocket lies parallel with the axis of rotation ofthe receiver, there is no force tending to throw a cigarette butt out ofsaid receiver, even though it is slightly longer than the latter, and assoon as the flow of air from atmosphere to the bore of the conduitcommences, said cigarette butt is quickly drawn into said bore and isdisposed of in the refuse container l8.

We claim:

1. The combination of an ash tray and an evacuated refuse collectingcontainer associated therewith, said ash tray comprising a housing, adischarge conduit communicating at one end with said housing and at theother end with said narrower container, a receiver journaled in saidhousing and with. said housing defining an. enclosed chamber, anaperture leading through the Wall of. said housing, a pocket formed inthe peripheral wall of saidreceiver, said aperture and said pocketregistering when said ash tray is arranged in filling, position, saidpocket communicating with said conduit when said ash tray is indischargingv position, a checl; valve carried by said receiver, whichcheck valve seals the end of said conduit when said ash tray is infilling position, external means for unseating said check valve andinitiating the rotation of said receiver, within said housing, fromfilling position towards discharging position, and one wallv of saidpocketv defining a radially disposed vane in said receiver to continuethe rotation of said receiver into discharging position when air fiowsthrough said conduit towards said evacuated refuse collecting container.

2. The combination of an ash tray and an evacuated refuse collectingcontainer associated therewith, said ash tray comprising a housing, adischarge conduit communicating at one end with said housing and at theother end with said container, a receiver journaled in said housing andwith said housing defining an enclosed chamber, an aperture leadingthrough the wall of said housing, a pocket formed in the peripheral wallof said receiver, said aperture and said pocket registering when saidash tray is arranged in filling position, said pocket communicating withsaid conduit when said ash tray is in discharging position, a checkvalve carried by said receiver, which check valve seals the end of saidconduit when said ash tray is in filling position, external means forunseating said check valve and initiating the rotation of said receiver,within said housing, from filling position towards discharging position,and means responsive to the unseating or" said check valve forcontinuing the rotation of said receiver into discharging position whenair fiows through said conduit towards said evacuated refuse collectingcontainer, and a spring means biasing said receiver toward said fillingposition.

3. A combination of an ash tray and an evacuated refuse collectingcontainer associated therewith, said ash tray comprising a bell-shapedhousing, a discharge conduit communicating at one end with said housingand at the other end with said container, a cup-shaped receiverjournaled in said housing and with said housing defining an enclosedchamber, a funnel-shaped aperture leading through the wall of saidhousing, a pocket formed in the peripheral wall of said receiver, saidaperture and said pocket registering when said ash tray is arranged infilling position, said pocket communicating with said conduit when saidash tray is in discharging position, a check valve carried by saidreceiver, which check valve seals the end of said conduit when said ashtray is in filling position, external means for unseating said checkvalve and initiating the rotation of said receiver, within said housing,from filling position towards discharging position, one wall of saidpocket defining a radially disposed vane in said receiver to continuethe rotation of said receiver into discharging position when air flowsthrough said conduit towards said evacuated refuse collecting container,and a spring for returning said receiver to its filling position.

4. The combination of a dump-type ash tray with a movable member and anevacuated refuse collectingr container associated therewith. said ashtray and refuse container being joinedbya conduit, said member beingvmovable into two positions,,0ne where it can be filled from thesexteriorof said ash tray and another where it can discharge its contents intosaid conduit, a check valvearranged to seal said conduit, said member inmoving from the first mentionedposition towards said second mentionedposition unseating said check valve, and. means responsiveito theunseating of said check valve. for moving said member into the secondmentioned position and discharging the contents of said member, throughsaid conduit, into the receiver.

5; The. combination. of a. dumping-type ash tray with; a movable. memberand an. evacuated refuse. collecting, container associated therewith,said ash tray and refuse container beingjoined by a. conduit; saidmember being movable into two positions, one where it can be filled fromthe exterior of said ash tray and another where it can discharge itscontents into said conduit, and a check valve arranged to seal saidconduit, said member in moving from the first mentioned position towardssaid second mentioned position unseating said check valve, meansresponsive to the unseating of said check valve for moving said memberinto the second mentioned position and discharging the contents of saidmember,

through said conduit, into the receiver, and elastic means for returningsaid member to its first mentioned position.

6. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiver member biased to a fillingposition in communication with a filling aperture and mounted formovement to a discharge position in communication with a dischargeaperture, means for reducing the air pressure within said dischargeaperture, and means rendered effective by a movement of said ashreceiver member toward said discharge position and responsive to thereduced air pressure in said discharge aperture for continuing themovement in opposition to said bias.

'7. An ash tray, comprising a rotatable ash receiver member biased to afilling position in communication with a filling aperture and rotatableto a discharge position in communication with a discharge aperture,means for reducing the air pressure within said discharge aperture, andmeans conditioned by an initial slight rotation of said ash receivermember for continuing said rotation in opposition to the bias, saidlatter means including a vane responsive to the reduced air pressure insaid discharge aperture.

8. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member mounted for movementfrom a filling position in communication with a filling aperture to adischarge position in communication with a discharge aperture, checkvalve means normally sealing said discharge aperture and responsive tothe movement of said ash receiving member for opening the dischargeaperture to a reduced air pressure, and means for moving said ashreceiver member to said discharge position in response to the opening ofsaid discharge aperture.

9. An ash tray, comprising an ash receiving member mounted for rotationfrom a filling position in communication with a filling aperture to adischarge position in communication with a discharge aperture, meansresponsive to the rotation of said ash receiving member for opening thedischarge aperture to an area of reduced air pressure, and meanssequentially responsive to the opening of said discharge aperture forrotating said ash receiver member to said discharge POSi-y 7 'tiori andreturning said ash receiver to said filling position.

10. An ash tray, comprising a rotatably mounted ash receiver memberspring biased to a filling position in communication with a fillingaperture and rotatably movable to a discharge position in communicationwith a discharge aperture, valve means spring biased toward sealingrelationship with said discharge aperture and responsive to an initialrotation of said ash receiver member against said spring bias from saidfilling position toward said discharge position to unseat said. valvemeans and open said discharge aperture, and vane means effective onlywhen said valve means is unseated and said discharge aperture is open tocontinue rotation of said ash receiver member toward said dischargeposition in opposition to said spring bias.

ROBERT L. GILL. FRANK A. NASH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

